Kickstart Championships squad announced

The inaugural Kickstart Championships was hosted on the Gold Coast in Queensland in 2011, and the competition returns to the Sunshine State this year via Cairns in the state’s far north.

22 players and three emergencies will represent NSW/ACT at the Championships this year, to be held between April 10 and April 15.

The opportunity will be crucial for the development of the group, afforded the opportunity to pit themselves against the country’s best emerging indigenous talent, playing at the high-class facility Cazaly’s Stadium, which has hosted a raft of AFL matches.

The KickStart Championships is an expansion of the annual KickStart camp which involves 50 participants.

Players are selected through State KickStart camps on leadership qualities, school attendance, community involvement and football ability.

In addition to the best performing teams playing in a curtain-raiser, 25 players are selected for the Flying Boomerangs squad which plays exhibition games during the Oceania Cup.

About the KickStart Program

The KickStart program uses Australian football as a vehicle for education, employment, health and participation outcomes for Indigenous people

The KickStart program and Championships provide further development opportunities for other parts of the football industry such as umpiring, coaching and administration with local Indigenous people engaged in these leadership positions for each team.

During the Championships participants also meet Indigenous AFL players and engage in leadership seminars.

2015 NSW/ACT Kickstart Championships squad